Storing and feeding apparatus for cigarette machines or the like



Sept. 1, 1959 M. POLLMANN STORING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jizorva eys.

Sept. 1, 1959 M. POLLMANN STORING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES OR THE LIKE;

- -2 She etS-Sheet 2 .Filed Nov. 29, 1955 IPIlFllll N .Sw

scribed here.

United States Patent STORING AND FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES OR THE LIKE Max Pollmann, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assign'or to Kurt Kiirber & Co. K.-G., Hamburg-Berged'orf, Germany Application November 29, 1955, Serial No. 549,821 Claims priority, application Germany February 28, 1955 9 Claims. (Cl. 221-10) This invention relates generally to a storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes adapted for application in a cigarette conveyor line. More particularly, this invention relates to a storage and feeding apparatus wherein provision is made to control the quantity of cigarettes which may be admitted to the feed section or magazine of the apparatus, the overflow being shunted to a storage section or magazine having controlled communication with the feed magazine.

The use of a conveyor in cigarette manufacturing is well known and in view of the tendency of a conveyor to continuously deliver the cigarettes to various processing stations linked by the conveyor, it has been possible to make the storage units at the processing station smaller than was the case in prior arrangements wherein large quantities of cigarettes in open trays or baskets were intermittently supplied to the storage units. The size of the storage unit, of course, is controlled by the demands of the processing machine which it feeds and the characteris'tics of the preceding processing machine and interconnecting conveyor which supplies it. For example,

in a packing machine cigarettes must be supplied from the storage unit in a given quantity at one time. In packaging, this usually involves twenty cigarettes. This cyclic supply of cigarettes from the storage unit to the packaging machine requires a reservoir capacity capable of holding suffic'ient units of twenty cigarettes to provide uninterrupted supply service for the packaging machine so that some of the more minor delays or interruptions in supply to the packing storage unit will not involve interruption of service to the packaging machine.

However, with conventional storage units which involve a hopper bottom container the pileup of cigarettes in the container due to the large reserve required frequently resulted in malfunction of the unit entailing shutdown of the packaging machine to correct the feed problem.

The present invention is directed to improvements in storage and feeding devices and apparatus applicable in systems as described above and in related systems for automatically manufacturing, handling, processing and packaging cigarettes or other items of similar confumlration.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed was developed for application in an assembly line system including machines for making filter mouthpiece cigarettes. The cigarettes produced by a conventional cigarette machine are placed in end to end relation on a conveyor and a double length filter mouthpiece is disposed between the confronting ends of the cigarettes. On this conveyor two cigarettes now occupy the space of one along the length of the conveyor so this conveyor operates at onehalf the speed that would be required if the cigarettes were in a single row rather than a double row as de- After wrapping to secure the mouthpiece to each cigarette body, the mouthpiece. is cut in half forming two completed filter cigarettes arranged in end to ice end relation at their mouthpieces. These are transported along the conveyor system in this relation.

In prior assemblies complicated double storage spaces were required to handle the end to end filter cigarettes. The present invention replaces such a storage space with two small equalizing magazines, which are substantially the mirror image of one another, arranged at the discharge end cf the filter cigarette conveyor to receive the oppositely disposed filter cigarettes. These equalizing magazines, which in one practical embodiment have a capacity of about cigarettes each, are respectively covered by an overflow storage container fed from the conveyor belt which stores the overflow of cigarettes. By this expedient the quantity of cigarettes in the lower equalizing magazine is maintained at some optimum level so that a positive discharge of cigarettes from the lower magazine to the packaging machine conveyor or other processing stage, such as a filter machine, is secured. The overflow storage container is provided with controlled communication with the equalizing magazine beneath it, through the medium of a mechanism responsive to the level of cigarettes in the equalizing magazine. Thus the overflow cigarettes are controllably fed into the equalizing or feed magazine at any time the conveyor supply therefor is insufficient to maintain the required level of cigarettes. This, it will be observed, eliminates problems of the character referred to above.

This solution to the storage and feed problem now permits shortening of the discharge end of the cigarette machine which was sometimes made rather long to permit surplus cigarettes to accumulate and further permits the end of the filter or packaging machine, receiving cigarettes from the improved storage and feeding unit, to be placed directly beneath the improved unit to pick up cigarettes discharged therefrom. In practice four machine groups are now placeable in the space formerly occupied by three.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a storage and feeding device for use in automatic cigarette manufacturing systems, or similar systems, which provides adequate storage space for cigarette overflow and provides positive cigarette suppiy to the following processing stage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a storage and feeding apparatus of the character referred to wherein a feed magazine in which the quantity of cigarettes is maintained substantially constant is provided for feeding the next processing stage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a storage and feeding apparatus of the character referred to having separate storage and feeding magazines or chambers wherein the quantity of cigarettes in the feeding chamber or magazine is maintained substantially constant with the overflow of cigarettes being diverted into the storage chamber which latter has controlled communication with the feed chamber or magazine to discharge cigarettes thereinto as required.

Further to the preceding object it is also an object hereof to control the discharge of cigarettes from the storage chamber into the feed chamber or magazine in dependence of the level of cigarettes in the feed chamber or magazine.

Further separate and combined objects of this invention are to provide a storage and feed apparatus of the character referred to which is simple with respect to operational requirements, positive in operation and compact in size and which by reason of its function permits reductions in length of arrangements such as conveyors which feed the storage and feed apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following specification when a 3 considered in conjunction with the accompanying draw ing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a storage and feeding apparatus partly in section embodying the principles of this invention, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section similar to Fig. l in which many elements in Figure 1 are not shown while illustrating additional details of the apparatus including the sensing means.

Referring to the drawing, the arrangement comprises a lower feed chamber or magazine 1 and an upper storage or overflow chamber 2. These chambers or magazines are defined between a back wall or plate 3 and a front wall (not shown). The feed magazine is provided with a hopper type bottom 5 having an opening 6 through which the cigarettes 7 are fed. Movement of the cigarettes through opening a is induced and controlled by a pair of rollers 8 and 9 disposed in opening 6 and rotating in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, about their eccentricaliy positioned shafts. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used to drive the rollers. However, these rollers are preferably driven at a speed synchronized with the feed requirements of the following stage, yet to be described. A discharge chute 11 positioned beneath the rollers 3 and 9 receives the cigarettes which pass therebctween.

The feed magazine is fed from the discharge of the preceding processing or manufacturing stage by a conveyor belt drive 12 which discharges the cigarettes it carries into the top of the feed magazine hopper. These cigarettes at their point of discharge freely pass beneath a roller 14 having a roughened or longitudinally grooved surface. Roller is driven by means of a motor or other suitable drive means (not shown) in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. The function of roller 14 will be described at a later point.

The bottom of the upper storage chamber is formed by an inclined plate 15, the lower end of which is disposed adiacent roller 1 This plate rests on respective brackets on the front and back wall of the assembly, back wall bracket 16 only being shown. The upper end of plate is pivotally secured by pivot means 17 to the upper end of a plate or sheet ild pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot 19 at a point below its pivotal connection at 17 to the storage chamber bottom plate 15.

A plate 21 is pivotally suspended from the front and back wall brackets as shown at 22. The lower end of the plate 21 is curved to provide a broad smooth surface and terminates at a level which permits the required number of cigarettes to fill the lower feed magazine. This plate is swung back and forth about its pivot mounting 22 by a suitable drive mechanism and its lower end scatters and levels the cigarettes which are filling the feed magazine.

The drive mechanism for plate 2ll comprises a link 23 pivotally connected at its left end at 23a to plate 21. Link 23 fits through a vertical slot 24 in plate 18 and is pivotally connected at 23b to the upper end of arm 25 of bell crank 26. Bell crank 26 is pivotally mounted at 27 on a stationary bra ket 25% and the end of its other arm 29 is slotted to receive a pin on the upper end of a cam follower 32. Cam follower 32 is slidably mounted in guide 33 and its roller 34 is spring loaded against cam 35 by compression spring Cam 35 is driven by and with the conveyor system 37, the lower end of which is disposed to receive cigarettes from the chute 11. A pin bolt 33 which by suitable m ans is adjustably fixed in a slot 39 in link 23 bears against plate 31%. Plate 18 is spring loaded against the pin 33 by means of a tension spring 41 connected between plates 1% and 21.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, clockwise rotation of cam 35 drives the cam follower 32 upwardly dis placing the bell crank 26 in a clockwise direction. Thus both plates 18 and 21 are swung about their pivots in a counterclockwise direction, that is their lower ends swing toward the right. In view of the fact that the base plate 15 of storage container 2 is pivotally connected to plate 13 by pivot means 17 located above the pivot 19, plate 15 is slidably moved toward the left, as viewed, closing the gap at roller 14. Since about half of the periphery of the cam 35 is defined by an arc of constant radius, the linkage dwells in this position during about one-half of each re olution of the cam and then in the next of cam rotation moves back to the position shown when the low point on the cam is reached. Thus base plate 15 is caused to oscillate between its extremes of position with each revolution of the cam, this motion being obtained as a result of spring loading of plate 18 against pin 38 on the oscillating link 23.

Previously it was mentioned that communication of the storage chamber with the feed chamber or magazine was controllable in dependence of the level of cigarettes in the feed magazine. A specific mechanism for accomplishing this is shown in Fig. 2. This mechanism comprises a pair of links or levers 43 and 44 pivotally mounted intermediate their ends at 45 and 46 respectively on the outside of the back wall 3 of the storage and feed device. The inner ends of these levers are connected by a pin 47 secured in one link and slidably operating in a slot in the other. Thus clockwise displacement of link 43 results in counterclockwise displacement of link 44. The outer end of link 43 mounts a rod 48 which operates in and projects through an arcuate slot 49 in backplate 3. Rod 48 mounts a cigare te level sensing plate 51 which extends across the feed magazine. The outer end of link 44 mounts a rod 52 which operates in and projects through a slot :53 in back wall 3. When sensing plate 51 is moved to its uppermost position in slot 49, rod 52 moves to position 52:: at the upper end of slot 53.

In its uppermost position at 52a, rod 52 intercepts the path of movement of the bottom end of plate 18 and is therefore operable to lock plate 18 in the dotted position shown to thereby lock plate 15 in its extreme lefthand position with its left edge adjacent the roller 14 closing the gap between the roller and plate 15 so that the cigarettes are prevented from dropping from the storage chamber into the feed magazine.

This operation will be appreciated from the following description. Normally the cigarettes are discharged from conveyor belt 12 into the hopper bottom 5 of feed magazine ll. Here the discharge of the cigarettes into chute l1 and onto the conveyor 37 is controlled by rollers 8 and 9, which may be driven by the drive (not shown) for conveyor 37 or otherwise suitably synchronized there with to control the supply rate of cigarettes to conveyor 37. Should the conveyor 37 slow down for any reason or should the supply of cigarettes to the feed magazine 1 by conveyor 12 increase for any reason, then cigarettes will tend to accumulate in the feed magazine. These accumulating cigarettes are spread or distributed across the hopper bottom by the oscillating spreading or distributing plate 21.

it will be noted that all cigarettes entering the hopper of the feed magazine under normal conditions, pass beneath the cigarette level sensing plate 51. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the lower end of distributing plate 21 sweeps beneath the level of sensing plate 51. Thus as the plate 21 sweeps toward the right, more cigarettes are admitted to the feed magazine beneath the plate 51. As this magazine is filled, the cigarettes pile up on the left of the distributing plate 21 so that on its return swing toward the left, the cigarettes are forced back beneath plate 51, pushing it upwardly.

It will be appreciated that this displacement of plate 51 occurs in the first small portion of return movement toward the left of distributing plate 21. Consequently, the displacement of sensing plate 51 and the corresponding displacement of rod or pin 52 from its lower position to its upper position at 52a occurs before plate 18 mar e swings back to the left of pin 52. Thus the plate 18 bears against pin 52 in its displaced position and is prevented from following the link 23 as it oscillates. In this position of plate 18 base plate 15 is displaced so that it closes the gap or opening between storage chamber 2 and feed magazine 1 at roller 14, thereby preventing cigarettes which are now accumulating in the storage chamber from entering the feed chamber.

As will be more clearly visualized in Fig. 2, whenever the level sensing plate 51 is forced upwardly to the upper end of slot 49, the entrance to the feed magazine is effectively blocked by the plate 51 and the cigarettes piled thereagainst. Thus cigarettes moving toward the feed magazine pile up on the discharge end of conveyor 12. Here they are engaged by the roughened or grooved surface of roller 14 and transported upwardly onto the base plate 15 of storage chamber 2 whereby loading of the overflow cigarettes into the storage chamber takes place.

When the level of cigarettes in the feed magazine begins to fall below normal due to increased demand at the output or reduced supply at the input, or both, of the storage and feeding apparatus, plate 51 drops back to its lower position, releasing plate 18 at pin 52. Spring 41 now returns plate 18 to its position against pin 38 on link 23 and controlled oscillation of storage chamber base plate 15 begins which controls the discharge of the stored cigarettes into the feed magazine. In View of the clockwise rotation of roller 14 movement of cigarettes from the storage chamber into the feed magazine is aided thereby.

Although but one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous changes in the apparatus may be made, both in its details and in the organization of the details, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawing shall be considered only as illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be construed in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising a feed magazine, automatic supply means for [feeding cigarettes along a pathway over the upper portion of said feed magazine and into said feed magazine, means associated with said feed magazine for controlling the discharge of cigarettes therefrom, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine, a slidably mounted base plate forming the bottom of said storage chamber and arranged by sliding movement away from the upper portion of said feed magazine to open the bottom of said storage chamber and toward the upper portion of said feed magazine to close the bottom of said storage chamher and control the discharge of cigarettes from said storage chamber into said feed magazine, means: connected with said base plate to slide said base plate, and means in said feed magazine responsive to the level of cigarettes therein for arresting sliding movement of said base plate in a closed position and preventing the discharge of cigarettes from said storage chamber into said feed magazine.

2. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine, a conveyor for feeding cigarettes along a pathway over the upper portion of said feed magazine into said feed magazine, means associated with said feed magazine for cont-rolling the discharge of cigarettes therefrom, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine, a driven roller mounted above said conveyor pathway adjacent the upper portion of said feed magazine to clear cigarettes therebeneath, a slid-ably mounted base plate forming the bottom of said storage container and arranged for sliding movement in a direction substantially parallel with its own plane so that one edge of said plate will approach and recede from said roller during sliding movement defining an opening in receded position sufiicient to pass a cigarette therethrough, means connected with said base plate to slide said base plate, said opening providing communication between said storage chamber and said feed magazine for discharging cigarettes from said storage chamber into said feed magazine, said roller having a rough surface engaging cigarettes piled up on said conveyor when said feed magazine is full and rotating in a direction to engage cigarettes piled thereagainst and move them into said storage chamber, and means responsive to the level of cigarettes in said feed magazine for arresting sliding movement of said base plate in its closed position to prevent the discharge of cigarettes through said opening into said feed magazine.

3. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine, a conveyor for feeding cigarettes into said feed magazine, means associated with said feed magazine for controlling the discharge of cigarettes therefrom, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine, a driven roller mounted above said conveyor to clear cigarettes therebeneath, a slidably mounted base plate forming the bottom of said storage container and arranged to approach and recede from said roller during sliding movement defining an opening in receded position sufiicient to pass a cigarette therethrough, means connected with said base plate to slide said base plate, said opening providing communication between said storage chamber and said feed magazine for discharging cigarettes from said storage chamber into said feed magazine, said roller having a rough surface engaging cigarettes piled up on said conveyor when said feed magazine is full and rotating in a direction to engage cigarettes piled thereagainst and move them into said storage chamber, a linkage system having a releasable connection with said base plate, a level sensing plate disposed in said feed magazine and connected with said linkage system to drive said linkage system with increasing level of cigarettes in said feed magazine into engagement with said base plate to hold said base plate adjacent said roller and close said opening to prevent cigarettes from passing therethrough.

4. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine, automatic means for feeding cigarettes along a pathway over the upper portion of said feed magazine to deliver cigarettes to said feed magazine, a level sensing plate disposed in said feed magazine and movable to an operated position preventing cigarettes from entering said feed magazine when the cigarette level therein exceeds a given level, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine for receiving cigarettes prevented from entering said feed magazine, a slidably mounted base plate inclined downwardly toward the upper edge portion of said feed magazine defining the bottom of said storage chamber and slidable between positions opening and closing a restricted passage between the lower edge, the bottom of said storage chamber and the upper edge of said feed magazine to control the discharge of cigarettes from the storage chamber to said feed magazine, actuating means for sliding said base plate between opened and closed positions, and means responsive to movement of said sensing plate to operated position for locking said base plate in closed position, to close said restricted passage and prevent the discharge of cigarettes from said storage chamber into said feed magazine.

5. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine, automatic means for feeding cigarettes thereto, level sensing means disposed in said feed magazine and movable to an operated position preventing cigarettes from entering said feed magazine when the cigarette level therein exceeds a given level, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine for receiving cigarettes prevented from entering said feed magazine, a slidably mounted base plate defining the bottom of said storage chamber and slidable between positions opening and closing the bottom of said storage chamber to control the discharge of cigarettes therefrom, actuating means for sliding said base plate, a pivotally mounted plate pivotally engaging said base plate, an oscillating mechanism, spring means loading said pivotally mounted plate against said oscillating mechanism to follow oscillating movement thereof and slide said base plate between opened and closed positions, and a linkage connected to and actuated by said level sensing means and having a part movable into the path of movement of said pivotally mounted plate when said sensing plate is in operated position for restraining movement of said pivotally mounted plate in a position to hold said base plate in closed position.

6. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine, automatic means for feeding cigarettes to said feed magazine, means for discharging cigarettes from said feed magazine, level sensing plate means in said feed magazine responsive to the level of cigarettes therein and movable to an operated position preventing cigarettes from said automatic means from entering said feed magazine when the level of cigarettes therein exceeds a given value, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine and arranged to receive cigarettes which accumulate at the end of said automatic feed means adjacent said feed magazine, slidably mounted base plate means defining the bottom of said storage chamber, oscillating means having a resilient connection with said base plate for driving said base plate to and from positions opening and closing the bottom of said storage chamber for controlling the discharge of cigarettes therefrom into said feed magazine, and means actuated by said cigarette level sensing plate means for engaging said base plate means to hold said base plate means in closed position and prevent cigarettes from discharging from said storage chamber into said feed magazine.

7. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes com prising, a feed magazine having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means controlling the discharge of cigarettes from said outlet opening, a cigarette conveyor having an end for discharging cigarettes into said inlet opening, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine and having an inlet opening directly above said conveyor end, a slidably mounted base plate defining the bottom of said storage chamber and movable between positions opening and closing the bottom of said storage chamber to provide controlled communication with said feed magazine therebeneath, an oscillating mechanism, a spreading plate movably mounted in said feed magazine and connected to said oscillating mechanism to be moved back and forth thereby to spread cigarettes at a given level in said magazine, an actuating member connected to said base plate and having a spring loaded connection with said oscillating mechanism to cause said base plate to be yieldably actuated by said oscillating mechanism, plate means movably disposed in said feed magazine between said spreading plate and said inlet opening to said feed magazine, said plate means being moved upwardly by cigarettes in said feed magazine extending above said given level to an operated position confronting said inlet opening into said feed magazine, said oscillating mechanism when moving said spreading plate away from said plate means moving said actuating member to move said base plate to closed position, and means responsive to movement of said plate means to operated position for engaging said actuating member. and preventing movement of said base plate from a closed position.

8. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means controlling thedischarge of cigarettes from said outlet opening, a cigarette conveyor for discharging cigarettes into said inlet opening of said feed magazine, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine and having an inlet opening directly above one end of said conveyor, a slidably mounted base plate defining the bottom of said storage chamber and movable between positions opening and closing the bottom of said storage chamber to provide controlled communication with said feed magazine therebeneath, an oscillating mechanism, a spreading plate movably mounted in said feed magazine and connected to said oscillating mechanism to move therewith and spread cigarettes at a given level in said magazine, an actuating member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends beneath said base plate and pivotally connected at its upper end to said base plate, spring means connected to said actuating member below the point of pivoting thereof and connected to said oscillating mechanism to provide a spring loaded connection of said actuating member with said oscillating mechanism, plate means movably disposed in said feed magazine between said spreading plate and said inlet opening to said feed magazine, said plate means being moved upwardly by cigarettes in said fee magazine extending above said given level to an operated position confronting said inlet opening into said feed magazine, said oscillating mechanism when moving said spreading plate away from said plate means moving said actuating member to move said base plate to closed position, and means responsive to movement of said plate means to an operated position for engaging said actuating member and preventing movement of said base plate from closed position.

9. A storage and feeding apparatus for cigarettes comprising, a feed magazine having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means controlling the discharge of cigarettes from said outlet opening, a ci arette conveyor for discharging cigarettes into said inlet opening of said feed magazine, a storage chamber disposed above said feed magazine and having an inlet opening directly above said conveyor end, a slidably mounted base plate defin ing the bottom of said storage chamber and movable between positions opening and closing the bottom of said storage chamber to providecontrolled communication with said feed magazine therebeneath, an oscillating mechanism, a spreading plate movably mounted in said feed magazine and connected to said oscillating mechanism to be moved back and forth thereby to spread cigarettes at a given level in said magazine, an actuating member connected to said base plate and having a spring loaded connection with said oscillating mechanism to cause said base plate to be yieldably actuated by said oscillating mechanism, plate mews movably disposed in said feed magazine between said spreading plate and said inlet opening to said feed magazine, said plate means being moved upwardly by cigarettes in said feed magazine extending above said given level to an operated position confronting said inlet opening into said feed magazine, said oscillating mechanism when moving said spreading plate away from said plate means moving said actuating member to move said base plate to closed position, linkage means connected to said plate means and operated thereby and having a part movable into the path of movement of said actuating member when said plate means moves to operated position for engaging said actuating member and preventing movement of said base plate from closed position,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,501,622 Ruau July 15, 1924 1,822,336 burns Sept. 8, 1931 1,928,736 Orstrom Oct. 3, 1933 

